Swallow The Knife
by LamiaJade
Summary: Dean falls prey to something supernatural. Thankfully one of Sam’s visions can lead him to his injured brother. But what first looked like a normal injury can turn into something more dangerous and life-threatening in a heartbeat. Hurt/Sick!Dean, Hurt!Sam
1. Chapter 1

A/N: There is something out in the forest. Something that kills.

A vision leads Sam to his injured brother. What first looked like a normal wound can turn into something more dangerous and life-threatening in a heartbeat. Just an excuse for Hurt!Dean! ^^

A/N: Hey there everybody!

So this is my first try to write a fanfic in English. It's not my first language so please be kind concerning the mistakes. I really try to avoid them but sometimes… ^^

A huge thanks to my wonderful beta JeanyAlicia (dunno what I should do without you, honey!)

The idea for this story popped up in my head a while ago in the middle of the night. And yeah, I have to admit it's just an excuse for some hurt!Dean! *evil grins*

But I honestly have to say that I'm not 100 where I want to head with all this. So ideas would be great. ^^

Hope you like it anyways! ^^ And reviews would be great! *puppy dog eyes*

Disclaimer: It all belongs to Kripke and the CW. I just play with it! ^^

**Swallow The Knife**

now our hands are tied  
and our world is caving in.

now our hands are tied.  
the problems lie within.  
so we pray for night to start over again.  
words are spoken words are broken down

so lets make this night  
be our best mistake.  
so lets take the time  
to wipe the blood away.

Swallow The Knife By Story Of the Year

Prologue

He is running. Gun in his hand and ready to shoot.

His breath is coming in short pants.

His eyes are searching the pitch black darkness which is only illuminated by a few spots of pale moonlight, creeping through some openings in the thick treetops.

It has to be somewhere around here….

A rustle lets him turn around, finger on the trigger - but there is nothing except for tree trunks and bushes.

Suddenly something attacks him from behind and throws him against a tree ….

Everything starts to get blurry until it fades into darkness ….

Chapter 1

"Dean!" Sam woke with a start from a restless sleep in front of his laptop. Blinking owlish against the bright motel room light, he tried to figure out what just happened. Was it a dream? He honestly doubted it.

While searching the room for his brother, who apparently was not there, he tried to loosen the cramp in his back.

His gaze fell upon the clock on the laptop screen. Nearly one and a half hour had passed since Dean had been heading out for food.

With a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach he grabbed his cell and dialed the number of his brother. It seemed to ring an eternity and eventually went to voicemail.

Sam looked at his cell a little confused and tried again.

"C'mon Dean, pick up!" But the result was still the same.

"Damnit!" he said with feeling, threw the cell back onto the table and started pacing up and down the room.

Something was wrong. Something was really wrong, he could feel that. Scratch that, he had seen it.

___________

With a few deep breaths he tried to calm himself and concentrated on the pictures he had seen in his vision.

Trees – Dean had to be a few minutes outside the town. But what the hell did he do there? And the more important question was what the hell was he tracking?!

Once again Sam grabbed his cell but the answer was still the same.

Slowly but surely he felt panic rise. Dean was hurt, that was for sure - if not worse …

_Stop! Don't think that way!  
_

Without further thinking Sam grabbed one of the guns form the duffle and his cell and stormed out of the room, only to realise that Dean was away with the Impala.

"Crap!" he cursed and looked around the parking lot. There were five other cars.

It didn't take long for Sam to start the old dark gray Golf and hotwired it out of town.

__________

Barely fifteen minutes later the headlights were showing the reflection of a car on the gravel side of the road.

Sam exhaled relieved only to recognize that it wasn't the Impala which was parked on the roadside but a green Fiat.

He slowed the car down to nearly walking speed.

Something was strange about the car. It was dark and looked abandoned though the two front doors were wide open. And he couldn't see anybody who could possibly be the owner of the car.

__________

Sam parked the car a few feet behind the Fiat and got out of the car. Gun held firmly in one hand, flashlight in the other.

The night air was cool and unnaturally silent. Sam couldn't even hear some crickets. A slight shiver ran down his spine. He couldn't say if it was from the night chill or his rising fear for what he could possibly find out here.

On his right side a forest lay like a thick black and impenetrable wall.

As Sam came closer he could see the broken window and the blood which covered the door and part of the seat on the driver's side.

A closer inspection revealed no signs for anything supernatural or some kind of animal which was hitten by the car.

"Hello? Is anybody out there?" Sam shouted into the silence of the night and scanned his surroundings again.

And suddenly he saw it – just a few hundred yards in front of the Fiat the Impala parked.

_Dean!_ Sam almost stumbled over his own feet as he raced to the black muscle car.

The driver's door was wide open but nobody was behind the steering-wheel or somewhere else inside the car. At least as far as Sam could tell.

When he came closer he could make out a dark heap next to the open door.

"Dean!"

Just seconds later Sam was kneeling in front of his obviously unconscious brother. Despite his unconscious state Dean had a death grip at his gun.

Blood trickled constantly from a gash above his brow and created a harsh contrast to the pallor of his face. A fine sheen of sweat glistened in the shine of the flashlight.

"Dean! C'mon man, wake up!" Sam was shaking him.

Dean's head lolled a little to one side and Sam could make out a soft moan.

"C'mon! You have to wake up!" Sam tried again. He threw a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure nothing was coming after them.

Dean's eyelids started to flutter. "Smy?" he slurred.

"Yeah, it's me. You're with me?" Sam didn't break his hold on Dean's shoulder yet.

"Ya k?" Glassy green eyes struggled to focus on his baby brother in front of him.

Sam's only answer was a soft snort as he checked his brother's pupils for signs of concussion - relieved to find none.

"Wha happn?"

"You're asking me?" Sam's face was tight with concern.

Dean still fought to keep his eyes open and focused. However slowly but surely the haze inside his head started to clear.

"You're hurt somewhere else?" The younger Winchester reached out his hand to search for any other injuries but Dean batted him away.

"M'fine. Just a hell of a headache and I think I bumped my arm pretty good."

Sam didn't believe him but decided to ignore the topic till they got back to the motel.

"Okay, then let's head back to the motel." Sam helped his sibling back to his feet and consigned him to the passenger seat. The absence of Dean's bitching concerned Sam even more.

Dean leaned back into the seat and closed his eyes against the spinning of his surroundings.

It got more and more dificult to keep his eyes open.

Right before Sam took his place behind the steering wheel he threw a last glance back to the Fiat. He couldn't hold his questions back anymore. "Dean, you know something 'bout the Fiat or his inmates?! And what the hell did you do outside here?" he gave his brother a close once-over.

Dean opened his eyes for a brief moment and returned his baby brother's glare before he closed them again. "Doesn't matter anymore. Found 'em in the forest. Well, better that what is left of them…." He said quietly. "Bitch got 'em."

Sam swallowed hard and turned on the engine.

"Dean, how did you get here? And how did you know where to look?" The break that arose was so long that Sam thought Dean might have lost consciousness again.

But eventually his big brother's voice cut through the silence. "Couple of teens were talking 'bout the Fiat at the dinner. Thought it couldn't hurt to check on it." He shut his eyes tightly against the throbbing pain in his head which seemed to intensify by the minute. His breath came in short pants and his left arm was pressed tightly against his body.

Inside Sam's head alarm bells started ringing loudly. "You're okay?!"

"M'fine." Came the expected answer. "Jus give me a sec."

The younger Winchester threw another quick glance to his brother before he pushed at the accelerator a little harder.

"While I was inspecting the car I saw something at the tree line." Dean said after a while. His voice sounded strained.

Sam jumped slightly at the unexpected sound.

They had arrived the outskirts and it shouldn't take long to be back at the motel.

"Apparently the _it_ is a _she_. Not sure what it is yet. Followed her but she got the better of me. Think I blacked out at some point."

_Yeah, think I know when that was,_ Sam thought and turned left.

"When I regained consciousness she was standing over me. I shot her but it didn't kill her. Hell I think it didn't even really hurt her. She only ran away. Things getting hazy after that …" Dean's voice got weaker with every passing minute.

Finally they arrived at the motel parking lot. Sam tried to park the car as close as possible to their motel room.

"C'mon, Dean, stay with me. We're here." He killed the engine and got out of the Impala.

Dean hadn't tried to move yet when Sam opened the passenger door.

"Hey, think your bed is more comfortable than the car seat. And I still need to check your injuries." He carefully shook his older brother's shoulder, alarmed by the amount of heat coming through the layers of fabric.

Infection? That soon?

Dean mumbled something incoherent but eventually Sam half dragged, half carried his older sibling inside their motel room and to his bed nearest the door.

Dean leaned against the headboard with a small groan. Eyes closed against the too bright light. His left arm felt on fire but the rest of him was so fucking cold.

He could hear Sam rummaging through the room, then the mattress next to him gave in and a cold hand pressed against his forehead.

Dean turned his head away from the touch. "Back off! M'fine. Jus need some sleep, that's all." He muttered.

"Dude, you're burning up. You're far from fine. Let me check your arm."

Dean could hear the concern and the slight panic in his baby brother's voice.

It was a slow and painful process to get his brother out of his jacket and over shirt but finally Sam could see the bite mark a few inches above his elbow. It looked like vampire marks though he doubted it were.

The skin around the two little holes was red and angry and hot to the touch. Next to the holes it was nearly purple. Red streaks started to creep higher on the arm.

Sam's panic spiked.

This didn't look like a normal infection. It looked more like some kind of poisoning.

"Crap! Whatever it was in the forest it must be poisonous."

TBC …


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey there everybody!!!

So sorry for the long delay (shame on me) But real life got the better of me…. ( I know, I know it's just an excuse but it's still true.)

However, thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews, alerts and to everyone who actually reads this. You guys are awesome!!! ^^

A huge thanks to my wonderful beta-girl JeanyAlicia. (Honey, I don't know what I should do without you!! Luv ya ^^)

And a special thank you to Emerald-Water for kicking my ass to finally hurry with the update. Hope you like it, hon! ^^

Warnings: Major spoiler for Season2 AHBL1/2

Hope you like the chap. And reviews would be great! (puppy dog eyes) ^^

Chapter 2

"Don't you think you're overreacting a little here?" Dean tried to sit up a little straighter. Ignoring the spinning of the room and the nearly overwhelming wave of nauseas.

He had to get a grip. Since Cold Oak his and Sam's relationship wasn't all that easy. All Sam was doing lately was to find a way to get him out of this friggin' deal. Though Dean knew it was a lost game. But his baby brother was determined to find a solution. He didn't have to add some new worries to all that. And he was fine. He was always fine. He just had to suck it up.

"It's probably just an infection. It wouldn't be the first one." Dean reasoned. He tried to take some deep breaths to calm his queasy stomach. Why the heck was it so cold in here?

Sam fought to suppress his snort. Why couldn't Dean just admit that he wasn't okay. Hell his brother looked like death warmed up. His cheeks were flushed and he had started shivering though it wasn't cold in the room.

Knowing better as to argue with his stubborn brother Sam stood up and went to the bathroom to gather a few supplies. Eventually armed with a wash cloth, a bowl of hot water and the first aid kit Sam headed back to Dean who leaned against the headboard, eyes closed. A bad feeling overcame him as he sat down beside Dean.

"Hey Dean, you still with me?" Sam dipped the cloth into the hot water and began to clean the bite mark.

He heard Dean taking in a sharp breath when the water touched the wound.

"Shit! Sam." The older Winchester tore his eyes open and tried to focus on his sibling. Though that was easier said than done.

"Sorry. At least I know you're still hanging in there." Sam attempted to keep his voice calm. Not wanting to show his panic which started to build up inside of him.

"Where else should I be?" Dean murmured grumpily. "Sam, seriously, stop fussing, I'm okay. It's just an infection. I had worse. A lot worse." Even with his vision kind of blurry he could see that Sam was scared and he was back full on big-brother-mode. _Watch out for Sammy_, he heard his father's voice inside his head. And hell, he did that and was still doing it.

"Dean, it's not that normal that this bite gets this bad so soon. I mean it can't be more than two hours since you left for dinner." Sam drenched the cloth in Peroxide. A small relieve was that the wound didn't show any signs of puss till now. "That'll hurt." He warned.

"I know. Get it over, will ya?" Dean gritted his teeth both for the pain and to stop his teeth form chattering. Didn't Sam notice that it was freezing inside this fucking room?

White-hot pain shot up his arm as Sam began to clean the wound again.

Sam winced in sympathy when he heard a low groan that escaped his older sibling's throat.

"I'm nearly done." Finally Sam smeared some antibiotic ointment on the wound and put a clean dressing over it. Worried about the dark red streaks which started to creep up higher Dean's arm. Having finished he moved to the gash on his brother's forehead.

Sam was glad that it had stopped bleeding a while ago. It would need some butterfly bandages but no stitches.

"You think the thing from the forest is the same thing that killed all the other people?" Sam looked at his brother. Noticed Dean's struggle to focused glassy eyes on him.

_I_ _swear, if you tell me once again you're fine I'll get violent,_ Sam thought and continued to wash the dried blood away.

Dean had to swallow a few times before he eventually answered.

"Pretty sure it is. I mean two different and dangerous sons of bitches at one place and at one time? C'mon even we need a break."

Sam felt the urge to laugh climbing up his throat. Yeah well, Winchester Luck wasn't that reliable.

"Besides, the things I could see of the bodies looked like what they described at the papers and at the coroner's report." Dean once again closed his eyes and tried to take deep and even breaths.

Sam was silent for a few heartbeats, then: "Did you have an idea what we're dealing with?"

Dean shook his head slightly. "No. I barely get a glimpse at it. It all happened too fast. It was … looked like a woman. And ordinary bullets didn't even bother her. "

Sam's stomach clenched painfully. He had feared that answer, because that meant this was serious. Really serious.

_Okay, calm down!_ He had to call Bobby. Hopefully the older hunter would know something more. But first he had to get Dean settled properly.

It was then that he could see the last bit of colour draining from his brother's face and his convulsive swallowing.

"Dean? You're alright?" Sam asked worrying.

"'m'f … crap …" Without any warnings Dean bolted upright and made a mad rush to the bathroom. Seconds later the younger Winchester could hear the retching sounds of vomiting.

Ew… that was just gross…. Yet his concern overrode everything else and he slowly made his way to the open bathroom door.

____________

That all sucks big time! And his reunion with his breakfast doesn't make it any better.

So not good.

He spits terrible tasting salvia into the toilet. Relieves that his stomach seemed to calm a bit. Blindly he searched for the button to flush the toilet.

So much for not worrying, Sammy. Bang up job there.

But he had to admit he really didn't feel that good. His head and arm throbbed in time to his heartbeat and despite the sweat which he could feel running down his face he had begun to shiver.

He still tried to convince himself that it was just a simple infection or a minor concussion, but deep down he knew better. He, like Sam, had read the coroner's reports. They found some kind of unknown snakelike poison inside the bodies' systems.

Bright light illuminated the bathroom.

"Dean?" He felt a hand on his back as his baby brother crouched beside him.

"You alright?" Sam knew it was a stupid question and the answer was obvious but right now he needed some reassurances from his big brother.

"'m k." came the muffled answer.

Sam sighed and stood up to grab a glass of water for Dean.

Dean leaned exhausted with his back against the bathtub next to the toilet. He only wanted a dark place where he could suffer alone.

"Here, rinse out your mouth with that. It should help with the taste." Sam's voice came from somewhere above him. He slowly opened his eyes. His headache protested against the too bright light and it was getting more difficult to think clearly. Eventually he made out the glass his brother was holding right in front of him.

It nearly took all of Deans remaining strength to fulfill the simple act of rinsing his mouth and spit it back into the toilet.

__________

Sam's brow creased in concern as he watched his older sibling.

He was getting worse, that was a fact.

"Hey, if you're done then let's get you back to bed."

Dean just nodded lightly.

Sam took most of his semi-conscious brother's weight at the short journey back to bed.

Despite the heat radiating off of Dean, Sam could also feel the slight tremors running through his brother's body.

Before he could settle Dean back to bed for good Sam needed to get him out of his boots and jeans.

"Come on, Dean, a little help here would be great!" Sam tried to rouse his brother, concerned by the lack of response. It felt like a small eternity but eventually Dean stirred.

"Wha'?"

"You think you can change by yourself?"

Dean gave him a funny look. "Sure I can."

It was a slow going process but finally Dean was settled and battled against the pull of sleep.

The next thing he was aware of was Sam shaking him.

"Hey, try to stay awake a little while longer. You just need to take these then you can go back to sleep." Sam handed Dean a couple of pills together with a glass of water.

After Sam was sure Dean would keep the pills down he wetted one of the cloth and placed it on his brother's hot forehead.

___________

Without a second thought the younger Winchester grabbed his cell and went outside the room to not disturbing Dean's sleep.

The nightly parking lot was quiet and abandoned.

A cold wind let clouds race over the dark night sky which covered the moon from time to time and dove everything in a diffuse light.

The noise from the highway only a soft whisper in the night air.

"Come on, come on, come on…" Sam muttered softly to himself.

Finally – it seemed to take forever but eventually he could hear the familiar voice on the other end of the phone. Sam let out the breath he noticed he was holding.

"Yeah?"

"Bobby, it's me, Sam."

"Sam! How're the both of you doing? Did you find anything new 'bout this friggin' deal? " Since Cold Oak he and Sam tried to find something that would bring Dean out of the Deal.

"Bobby, we need your help!" There was a slight note of desperation in the younger Winchester's words.

"What's wrong? Are you two okay?" Bobby demanded. Concern in his voice.

"I think Dean was poisoned but we don't know what had caused it. And he's getting worse, Bobby." It was then that all this really caught up to Sam. His brother only had one year left and now he could… No, not an option.

"What happened? Where have you idjits gotten into this time?" The older hunter swore under his breath though there was no heat in his words.

"We're at Long Creek – Oregon. Something kills people. Well, not only kills, rather skinned and mutilates its victims. All of it happened out in the woods around the town. And we are totally in the dark. Oh, one thing we do know. Whatever it is, it's poisonous. They found some unknown poison inside the bodies' bloodstreams." Sam paused for a moment to take some deep, calming breaths then he told Bobby the rest.

Bobby remained silent for a while. "And you think this she-bitch is the same who killed all the other people?"  
"Don't know, but it would fit. Bobby, we have to find something! I don't know if this poison could …" Sam couldn't say the word 'kill'.

"One last question – do you know something more 'bout the poison except that nobody seems to know it?"

"Yeah, well, the autopsy report said that it's kinda snakelike."

"I see what I can find out. Call me if something changes." Sam could hear the rustle of papers on the other end of the line.

"Sure, I will. And thanks, Bobby."

"And Sam, be careful."

"Yeah, you too." With these words the younger Winchester ended the call and headed back into the motel room. Knowing that Bobby helped kept his panic a little at bay.

As soon as he entered the room he knew something wasn't right. Then he heard the soft moans. His eyes immediately landed on Dean who was tossing and turning on the bed in a restless sleep.

It took Sam two long strides to be on his brother's side.

"Dean! Hey. Wake up!" He firmly shook his brother's shoulder. At Sam's touch Dean got even more agitated.

"Come on, you're kinda scaring me here. Wake up!" The younger sibling tried again. Cursing under his breath about the heat he could feel coming off of Dean in waves.

Eventually Dean's eyelids started to flutter.

"Dean, you with me?" Sam put his hand on his brother's sweaty forehead, shocked when Dean actually leaned into the touch.

"Come on, bro, you still in there?" Sam felt the panic rise again inside his body. He almost missed the hushed word.

"Dad?"

TBC………….


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello Everybody!!! I wish you all a happy new year!!! ^^

I'm so sorry for the long delay. But I got a little distracted by another story I wrote as a Christmas present for my lovely Beta-girl JeanyAlicia. (I will translate 'Broken Wings' into English asap. So if you're interested, stay tuned).

Thank you to all who read this, put this on Alert or to their favourite list. And also a huge thank you to all who took the time to leave a review!

You guys keep me going!

Special thanks to my wonderful Beta-girl JeanyAlicia (don't know what I would do without you) and to Emerald Water for her support and some great ideas!!

I hope you guys like the chapter. Reviews would be great! I'm also all ears for some ideas! ;)

Lots and lots of hurt/sick!Dean in this chapter.

Chapter 3

This one word took Sam's breath away for a few seconds. Okay, this was so not good.

"Dean, hey, you with me?"

Glassy green eyes starred directly through him. Dean's brow creased in confusion.

"Dad!" it was barely a whisper, but there was a tone of urgency mixed with a slight note of panic in his voice.

"Dean, it's me – Sam." His heart pounded faster. Sam gave his older brother's shoulder a little squeeze.

"Dad, we hafta hurry. We hafta find Sammy!" Dean tried to sit up, but Sam pushed him back without much effort. The older Winchester tried to fight against the restraining hand, yet with no success.

"Hey, calm down! I'm here. I'm right here!" Sam hoped to break through to his brother.

Dean's breathing was harsh and laboured. Lines of pain were evident on his pale face.

Sam's panic spiked. "Dean, wake up, damnit!" He tried to rouse him again, though this time it worked.

Dean blinked tiredly and tried to comprehend where he was.

"Sammy?" His eyes searched the room, until they finally fixed on his baby brother's face. "You 'kay?"

Sam rolled his eyes and fought to suppress a snort. "I'm alright. What about you?"

Dean swallowed thickly, breathing still way too fast. "Feelin' not so good." He eventually admitted.

Sam felt the knot inside his gut tightening. Okay, officially, hell was freezing over now – Dean admitting he wasn't okay.

His hand was still resting on Dean's shoulder and he felt the heat seeping through the damp fabric of the T-shirt. Also tremors were still wracking his body.

Sam sighed softly and searched for the thermometer in the first aid kit. When he turned back to his brother, he saw Dean's eyes drop again.

"Dean." Sam shook him carefully and slowly Dean opened his eyes again. "Open up, I wanna take your temp."

Dean blinked tiredly and for one moment Sam was sure his brother was about to argue, but then Dean obeyed wordlessly, which made Sam's stomach clench even tighter.

While Sam waited for the thermometer to beep he gave his brother a close once over. Dean's eyes were still closed; strands of hair were plastered on his sweaty forehead. He looked worse than before. They had to find out what this damn thing was and what it did to him before….

The beep of the thermometer pulled Sam out of his thoughts. He cursed under his breath, when he read the tiny numbers. 102.8. Shit he had to get this damn fever under control.

Sam grabbed the small box of Tylenol from the nightstand.

"Dean? Hey!"

It took some time but eventually Sam heard a soft groan.

"Hmm?" Dean's eyes slowly blinked open.

"Stay with me a little while longer, okay?" He shook three pills into his palm and grabbed the water glass from the bedside table. He felt his big brother's look resting on him.

He was relieved that Dean seemed more lucid this time.

Sam handed his big brother the pills. Dean looked at them with confusion.

"Tylenol." Sam explained. "They should bring the fever down."

Dean nodded softly and swallowed them with some effort.

"Sammy?" The older Winchesters voice sounded weak and rough.

"Hu?" He looked at Dean quizzically, but was met by a pair of bright green eyes looking back at him.

"Stop worrying! It'll be okay – I'll be okay. Jus' need some sleep an' a couple of painkillers. S'all."

Though Dean knew as good as his little brother, that this wasn't true. But that didn't matter much right now. For now the most important thing was, to get this haunted look out of his baby brother's face.

Okay, sure, he felt like crap on toast, but he had worse, hadn't he!? Although there was this nagging feeling, that built in a deep, dark corner of his mind. Something wasn't quiet right.

He saw the wheels turning inside Sam's head.

"Sam, no hospital, ya hear me?" He struggled to sit up, but Sam's hand on his chest held him down.

Sam opened his mouth to start arguing, but knowing better he closed it again.

"Okay, for now, no hospital." He nodded.

"No hospital, Sam." The words sounded strained and the last remain of strength seemed to vanish from Dean.

Sam sighed and rubbed a hand over his forehead. A headache started pounding behind his temples. Why the hell was his brother such a stubborn idiot sometimes?

"Okay, no hospital." _For now, at least. But I swear, If you're getting worse_…, Sam added mentally. He saw Dean relax a bit.

Suddenly Dean's breath became more laboured and he started panting.

"Dean?" Sam didn't care that he sounded five again – scared and at a loss of what to do.

Dean curled into a tight ball. Pain shot through his whole body and almost took his breath away.

He felt Sam's cold hand on his arm.

"Dean? Dean, what is it?"

He really wanted to answer Sam, wanted to take the scared tone away form his little brother's voice, which was more than obvious, but right now everything except panting for breath seemed to be impossible.

A new wave of pain shot through his body and he groaned softly.

"Dean!?" An unmistakable note of panic lay in the one word.

"Hurts." He finally got out between pain filled gasps.

"Okay. Okay, try to breath through it."

"Easier … said than … done…." He pressed out. "God…"

A new wave washed over him and he tried to curl further into himself.

"Dean, damnit, slow down, you're hyperventilating." Sam's voice cut through the haze of pain and agony.

Dean felt a hand rhythmically moving up and down on his back.

Slowly but surely the pain subsided bit by bit.

"Better?" Sam didn't move his hand yet.

With a small grunt Dean uncurled himself cautiously and rolled back on his back.

"That sucks big time." He groaned, eyes still tightly squeezed shut.

Sam nodded lightly and eyed his older brother sternly. Eventually he grasped the by now dried facecloth, re-wetted it and placed it carefully back on Dean's forehead.

The older Winchester's eyes fluttered slowly open.

"Wha' ya doin'?" he asked quietly.

"You can't tell me it doesn't feel good." Sam said, eyes still trained on his brother. "Besides it should help with the fever." He added.

The older Winchester growled slightly, but left the cloth on his forehead.

"God, you're enjoying this 'playing-nurse-crap', don't you?"

Despite everything that had happened, Sam had to smile. He knew that Dean tried to calm him. Give him some comfort. It was something he always did. Don't care how screwed the situation might be, his older brother always found a way to distract him, to make him feel better.

"Yeah, well, it's not often that you get the chance to take care of the great and invincible Dean Winchester." Sam chuckled softly and peeled back the layers of gauze, which covered the bite marks.

"So not gonna happen, little brother." Dean replied without any heat in his voice. Sam's chuckle eased some of his own worries. "But, seriously, dude, stop mothering me. It'll be fine." _Well, that would have sounded more convincing, if me voice would have had more strength in it._ The battle to keep his eyes open was getting more and more difficult. He already knew that this thing did a hell of a number on him, and that they should better hurry to find some cure for this frigging poison. But first of all things was, that Sammy was okay. This wasn't right. Sam shouldn't take care of him. It should be the other way around.

"Dean…" Sam warned quietly, but there was more in the word.

Dean fought to focus bleary eyes on his little brother's face. Sam looked worried.

"Smmy?"

"The wound shows signs of infection. I have to clean it again."

Dean closed his eyes and nodded. Sam sounded calm, but he could hear the fear beneath that calmness.

Great, just great! More things Sam had to deal with. Right now he did a bang-up job in not worrying his little brother.

The contact between the Peroxid and his wound intensified the constant throbbing pain to the point where it became nearly unbearable.

"It's okay. I'm nearly done." the younger Winchester repeated quietly over and over again.

For the first time in a long time Dean was thankful when the darkness of unconsciousness washed over him eventually and took him away.

_____________

Sam felt his older brother's body going limp.

At this point he was grateful for the small relief unconsciousness would bring.

The wound looked angry and raw. Pus oozed off of the two little holes above Dean's elbow. By now the streaks were nearly halfway up his upper arm.

Sam swallowed hard. How the hell could this have happened? How the hell could ….No, stop it and _focus, _damn it!

He took in a deep breath and tried to push all unnecessary thoughts aside and concentrated on the task at hand. His hands almost worked on autopilot.

After applying a new bandage over the newly treated wound, he re-wetted the nearly dried washcloth and laid it back on Dean's forehead.

The older Winchester didn't stir at all during the whole cleaning-process, which didn't really help to ease Sam's anxiety.

Finally he settled himself together with his laptop and a cup of coffee against the headboard of his own bed.

Tiredly he rubbed over his burning eyes. The tiny clock on the screen showed 1:05am. Shit, this was going to be a long night.

Exhaling cheerless, he started his research. Although there was this small problem of not having any fucking clue where to start. Hell, he still didn't even know what they where hunting.

______________

Two hours later Sam was still far from any useful answers to what they were hunting or how to help his brother. Except that he indeed had found a whole bunch of information about poison in general and snake venom. And none of it sounded good at all.

If Bobby didn't find something useful soon, Sam was determined to haul Dean's ass to the next hospital.

His gaze wandered back to the other bed.

Dean hadn't woken up, but during the last thirty minutes or so his sleep got more restless.

Sam closed his tired eyes for a few seconds and pinched the bridge of his nose with thumb and forefinger.

God, they had been through so much lately, but during all that Dean was always by his side, giving him strength and the feeling of being protected.

Now the feeling of safeness was replaced by fear.

He ran a hand through his unruly hair, willing the laptop magically to show him some desperately needed answers.

The tossing and turning on the other bed got more pronounced. Sam heard a soft whimper.

Dean's head turned from one side to the other, eyes moving rapidly under closed lids. The cloth that had rested on his forehead was now lying on the pillow next to him.

"mmmnnno…. m'sry….smy……… mnooo…." The words were heavily slurred and ran together, but in spite of that Sam didn't miss the pleading tone of them.

______________

Cold. It was nearly freezing.

Everything was sheeted with ice. Ice crystals covered the windows. The light that seeped through them was diffuse and dim.

His breath formed small white clouds in front of his mouth.

Okay, that was odd. Since when did it get that cold in a motel room? Especially when did it get that cold so soon?

Sammy, what the hell did you do with the heater?

Sam…

Dean looked around.

The realisation hit him like a hammer – this wasn't their motel room, though he knew his surroundings by heart.

His heart pounded painfully in his chest.

He was back at the crappy room outside of Cold Oak. In front of him on the bed lay Sam's corps.

Panic rushed through his system.

_No! Oh god, no. This can't be real! I made the damn deal – Sammy was alive again! This can't_ …

Dean made an unsteady step toward the bed.

This was his fault. All of it. First dad and now Sam – the two most important people in his life, and he let them down.

Nonononononono … _Sam!_

Dean shook his brother forcefully. The skin underneath his fingers was icy.

There was no change – Sam, his baby brother, still lay there unmoving, ashen, lifeless and dead.

Unwanted pictures popped up inside his head. His little brother dying in his arms….

"Sam, I'm sorry." His voice nearly broke.

Suddenly the younger Winchester's eyes flew open.

Bright yellow snake-like eyes stared up at Dean. A dark rage enlightened them.

Sam looked at Dean, his face a mask of hatred.

"You can't be sorry enough for the things you've done to me! What is it with you, hu? Why does everyone has to suffer around you?"

"Sammy …" Dean staggered a few steps back, shocked when Sam slowly sat up.

"You couldn't safe me and you couldn't safe dad. We're dead because of you!" He got up from the cheap excuse of a bed.

"Sammy … I …" Dean backed of another step, at a loss what to say. But his brother followed him slowly.

"Sammy – what, hu? Can't you stand the truth? You promised me, that you'll always watch out for me. That you'll always protect me – but look what has come out of it in the end." His words were thick with contempt.

"Sam, I tried everyth…"

"Safe it!" Sam interrupted him coldly. "You're worthless! You can't save anybody. And, Dean, face it – you're the reason that got your whole family killed!"

"Sam, I'm sorry. I …" Dean's back bumped lightly against the wall behind him. A sudden jolt of pain ran through his left arm.

His baby brother stood right in front of him, a wicked grin on his bloodless lips.

"It's a little too late for that, Dean."

Ice-cold hands grabbed the older Winchester's throat and squeezed.

Dean gasped for air. He struggled to break free, but the grip was ironclad. He started to choke. His legs refused to hold him any longer and his vision tunnelled, though he still fought with clumsy fingers to peel Sam's hands away from his throat.

The last thing he saw, before the black spots devoured his whole vision, were the yellow snake eyes, staring wildly and mercilessly at him.

"Dean! Man, wake up! It's just a dream!" Sam's concerned and lightly frightened voice cut through the haze of his dream.

Wait – _Dream_?

Dean's eyes flew open and he gasped for air. He could still feel the hands around his neck, suffocation him. But the room didn't seem much warmer than in his dream. He really should tell Sam to turn the frigging heater on. _Sam_……

"Dean, it's okay. It was just a dream, well, nightmare, I guess."

Dean's eyes eventually focused on his little brother, who was sitting next to him on the edge of the bed. He looked worried, but, thank god, alive!

He uttered a softly sigh of relief. Still it didn't last long. Sam looked scared, no, scratch that, he looked almost terrified. And Dean knew that he was the reason for this look.

Pictures of his dream flashed trough his mind.

"Sam, 'm sorry." He whispered roughly.

Sam gave him a confused once over. "Sorry for what, Dean?" He wasn't entirely sure if his older brother was completely with him. The two small slits of green he could see were still glassy and slightly unfocused.

"Should've protect you better. If I'd've watched out for you, nothin' of this would've happened." Dean muttered absentmindedly.

Sam felt his throat tighten and he swallowed hard around the lump which had suddenly appeared.

"That's bull and you know that!" he tried to reasoned calmly. "You can't think straight right now, because of this damn poison, that's all. You've nothing to be sorry about, okay?!" He gave his brother's arm a small reassuring squeeze. "You hear me?"

"'kay." It didn't sound that convinced.

Sam sighed softly and grabbed the glass of water from the nightstand.

"Dean, you need to drink some more water. And than I want to take your temp again." He shook him a little.

Slowly Dean's eyes opened and he tried to focus on Sam. A puzzled expression appeared on his face.

"Not thirsty. S'cold in here, don't ya think?"

"No, it isn't. It's because of the fever. Come on, you need to drink a bit more of the water, or you're getting dehydrated." Sam coaxed. He tried to be patient, but his nerves had nearly reached their limits for one day. "Either you drink this or it's the hospital." He threaded carefully.

At these words the older sibling got agitated again. He looked at Sam wide-eyed. "No. No 'spital. 'S too dangerous an' I don' need it. 'm 'kay." It was too dangerous, couldn't his little brother see that? Henriksen was hot on their heels and … and since dad died in a hospital… He pushed the thought about his father aside. No need to reopen not yet totally healed wounds.

He tried to push himself upright, to prove his point to Sam, but the movement sent a wave of white-hot pain through his left arm. Stars exploded in front of Dean's eyes.

"Holy crap, calm down, will you?" Sam gently pushed him back into a lying position. "No hospital, I get it. Drink some water and take these and then you can sleep." _Well, for now_, he thought. The idea to drag his brother to the next hospital wasn't that far out of his mind.

Dean nodded lightly. Water was way better then the alternative, though he wasn't that sure if his rebelling stomach would kept it down.

Sam helped Dean into a more sitting position and steadying the glass before it would drop from his shaky grip.

He managed a few small sips, together with a couple of antibiotics and Tylenol, before he fell back into the pillows.

A bone deep fatigue washed over him. He just wanted to sleep – wanted to escape the cold and the pain.

He hadn't even noticed that his eyes had closed until something small slid slowly into his mouth. He startled awake, head jerking away from the intruder. The sudden movement caused a new wave of pain and he moaned softly.

"Easy there. It's okay, it's just the thermometer. I thought you were asleep again." Sam explained and smiled a little sheepishly.

"Apparently not deep enough." Dean grumbled tiredly. "C'mon, can't you jus' skip this? 'm feelin' better." Well, okay, it was far from the truth, but Sammy didn't have to know.

_I'm really wondering what the hell this thing is. It looked like a normal woman. But since when are demons poisonous?_

"Yeah, you look it." Sam snorted. "Hey, if I were you I wouldn't want my brain cells cooked. So stop whining." He smirked lightly.

"'m not whining." Dean mouthed around the thermometer. The pull of sleep now overwhelming.

"Sure you're not." Sam mocked softly. His grin faded when he saw the tiny numbers at the display. 103.1. Shit, it still climbed. If he couldn't get that damn fever down a hospital was a really possible option.

He glanced at his brother's sleeping and slightly shivering form.

What the hell did that to him?

He re-wetted the washcloth once again and placed it back. While stifling a yawn he stood up from the bed and tried to loosen the tense muscles between his shoulder blades.

The sound of his cell in the now silent room made him jump.

He hurried to grab his cell before it could wake Dean and went out of the room, hoping Bobby had found something that would help.

_________________

Tired and beyond exhaustion Sam slid down until his back leaned against the cold brick wall outside their room.

The parking lot was quiet, dark and abandoned. The clouds had disappeared and stars enlightened the night sky. A cold wind made him shudder slightly.

It seemed this night would never end.

"Hey, Bobby, did you find anything?" With a soft 'thud' Sam let his head rest against the cool stones, knees drawn up to his chest.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I know what the two of you are dealing with. And boy, you two don't do anything halfway." There was no humour in the older hunter's gruff voice.

"Please tell me, you know how we can help Dean." He sounded exhausted. To see Dean vulnerable and without his stoic defensive mechanisms, scared him shitless. But there was a small spark of hope underneath the feeling of helplessness.

The hesitation on the other end of the phone was answer enough and Sam felt his stomach clench painfully.

"Bobby?"

"You boys are dealing with a frigging Lamia."

"A what?"

"Lamia. This thing is first mentioned in old Greek mythology, so it's old. It has some similarities to werecreatures." The older hunter explained.

"What?" the panic in Sam's voice evident. "Dean – wait, he was bitten by this thing."

"Damnit, boy, would you please calm down and let me finish before you get full on panic-mode?" Bobby said gruffly. "Lamias are nearly ancient and a couple of hours ago I was convinced that these things were extinct. They can change its form like wereanimals, but that's all what these two have in common. No lunar circle and so on." He continued.

Sam exhaled softly. Maybe something looked up today.

"According to the information I've found, its real form is part woman, part snake. But it can also look like a simple woman. It's kinda its cover form. Usually these things prefer children, but I think this sucker here takes what it gets."

While listening to Bobby's explanations, Sam started pacing up and down in front of their motel room, full on in research-mode.

"Bobby, that's all well and good, but get to the interesting stuff – what about this fucking poison? Come on, please tell me you've found something about it."

The older hunter could clearly hear the desperation inside the words. He swallowed dryly. Hell, he wished he could offer some good news…

"Sorry, Sam, nothing yet. It's a bit tricky 'cause there ain't much information about Lamia victims who got bitten and survived the attack.

Apparently these things bite their prey to prevent them from escaping. Imagine it like what real snakes do." Bobby paused for a few moments. "It's not that easy to find some info but I'm working on it." he reassured. After a few heartbeats he asked, "How is he?"

Sam sighted heavily. "Not so good. His fever still spikes and he's getting delusional." He huffed in frustration. "But he's still too stubborn to go to a hospital. Bobby, I don't know what to do. I'm telling you, if he doesn't get better, I'm dragging him to the next best ER I can find."

"You do that. I don't think they can do much, but it's still a good idea." Bobby agreed thoughtfully. "Don't worry, we find something."

"But I. Am. Worried.! Hell, first the deal and now… It's just …" _I'm feeling so damn helpless and I don't know what this poison will do to him_, he finished silently.

"I know, boy, I know." Bobby seemed to sense Sam's unspoken words. "But, Sam, there is something else."

Sam closed his eyes, concentrated on the cold sensation of the wind in his face. He didn't want to hear what Bobby had to say. Judging by the older hunter's tone, it wasn't anything good.

"What is it?"

"Once a Lamia has marked its prey it hunts it down until it finally gets it. Think these things are stubborn S.O.B. when it comes to their lunch."

Sam swallowed hard. So much for Winchester Luck…

"And how can I kill it?" A deadly undertone lay in the younger Winchester's words.

"Try everything you can come up with." Bobby grumbled. "Like I've said, there ain't much lore about this bitch."

"Great. So that means that this she-bitch is near…" Sam became abruptly silent when he heard a sudden noise behind his back. He turned around to find Dean leaning against the frame of the open door.

"Dean." Sam looked at him in confusion. He barely noticed Bobby's concerned voice still coming out of the phone.

"Bobby, I call you back." Sam said absently and hung up.

Slowly he went over to Dean who still had a death grip on the doorframe, though it was the only thing right now that kept him upright

"Dean?" he said again, but still got no reaction. An uneasy feeling crept up inside his stomach.

Dean stared with unfocused eyes out in the dark.

Sam placed a hand on his brother's arm, felt the small tremors under his fingers. "What you're doing out here?" he asked gently.

Dean winced at the sound of his brother's voice as if he noticed Sam for the first time.

"Can't you hear her?" he slurred softly. "She's callin'. Over and over."

Sam eyed Dean puzzled, but listened into the silence of the night. Faintly he could hear the soft murmur of the highway but nothing else.

"I can't hear anything. Nobody's calling. Come on, let's get you back inside."

"No. Why don't you hear her? Sam, she's callin'! She…" Dean managed three unsteady steps out into the parking lot, before his knees started to buckle and his eyes rolled back in his head.

"Dean!" Sam cried out and rushed to him.

TBC…….

Like it? Don't like it? Let me know! ^^


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hey folks!!! *hides behind a stone* please, please don't shoot. I know it's been a frigging long time since I posted the last chapter and I'm so unbelievably sorry. (sighs) I still need my 36-hours day.

Well, but I hope it was worth the wait. It's a nice long chapter. ^^ (The longest so far)

A/N: For all who asked or wondered – no, the Lamia has nothing to do with my username here. ^^ just wanted to use something new. '^_^'

A/N: A huge thanks to all of you who still read this, put this on alert or to their favs or leave reviews. And also thanks for putting this story in some C2's.

You guys keep me going!!

And like always, a special thanks to my little beta-girl JeanyAlica (I really don't know what I would do without you (hugs)), Emerald Water (Hey, sweetie, here it is! Hope you like it! x) and to Elke for answering all my annoying questions about medical care and all the other stuff! (hugs) ^^

A/N: Hope you like it! I'm a little unsure about this chapter, so please let me know what you think about it. ^^°

Chapter 4

Comforting darkness surrounded him. Well, maybe not that comforting due to all that frigging coldness and the throbbing pain which ran up and down his left arm.

Dean briefly wondered if he would ever feel warm and comfortable again.

He heard the murmur of a soft voice but couldn't make out the words yet. It was more an unnerving background noise and he tried his best to ignore it.

The darkness disappeared into a pool of colors.

A five year old Sammy appeared in front of him, smiling. But something wasn't quite right. Despite the smile Sammy's eyes looked sad and too aware for an innocent child.

A sudden wave of dizziness washed over Dean and everything started to blur.

When he opened his eyes again he stared right into the bright yellow eyes of his father.

A stabbing pain erupted inside his chest. He felt his shirt dampen with his own blood, tasted the copper on his tongue.

"Dad…" It was more a strangled cry. He hated how helpless and frightened his voice sounded, but right now he would have given nearly anything to make the pain stop.

Without any warning the invisible force that kept him pinned to the wall disappeared and he sagged boneless and panting to the ground.

He heard steps coming nearer. A sudden wave of heat surrounded him, making breathing nearly impossible. The cabin vanished and everything around him was drenched in dark twilight. The next thing he felt was the white-hot pain as chains and hooks drove into his flesh. They held him upright and in place. The pain now almost unbearable. He wanted to scream, but there wasn't enough air left inside his lungs.

"Howdy, Dean." Yellow Eyes stood grinning in front of him. "Welcome to hell – literally. Tell me, Dean, is this worth saving your brother? 'cause, you should keep in mind that he still heads down the road I chose for him so long ago." Yellow Eyes grinned at him, glee written all over his face.

"Better listening to daddy and kill lil' Sammy before it's too late and he can fulfill his destiny."

"No!" Dean screamed and tried to break away from the chains.

_No! No, this isn't real. I still have time__ before the bill comes due!_

He couldn't be in hell. And he knew for sure that his brother would never become evil. Hell, he knew that kid, he practically raised him! Sam _wasn't _evil!

It was a dream, it had to be! But why couldn't he just wake up?

_Damn it, wake up – now!! _

At some point he must have made some kind of noise or something like that, because all of the sudden he felt something cool through the haze of sleep, fever, and pain. A cool hand squeezed his shoulder lightly. He couldn't make out the words, but they still calmed him, pulled him out of this nightmare and back into the numbing darkness.

Sammy was still with him. He didn't need more reassurance than that right now.

He didn't know how much time passed, but it was her voice that brought him back to awareness this time.

She called him. Over and over. Her voice a sweet soft singsong.

He pushed it back into a far corner of his mind. No way he would be that stupid to follow her words.

Slowly he became more aware of other things.

A damp cloth lay on his forehead and his shirt felt sticky with sweat and clung to him uncomfortably. God, he desperately needed a shower. But just the thought to stand even more than a few minutes made him feel even more exhausted.

What the hell did this bitch do to him? And more interesting – why the heck could he hear her calling him?

_If you want me, bring it on__, bitch._

The background noise became a little clearer and he could make out Sam's low voice.

"Yeah, Bobby, that's what I said - she's calling him. I think that's how she hunts her prey. But I have to research more to know that for sure."

A pause. So, Sam was talking to Bobby on the phone.

"No, he's still out. But the fever isn't climbing anymore."

Again silence, while Sam was listening to the older hunter.

"My best guess? Find and kill this bitch and see what'll happen."

Dean heard Sam pacing through the room.

"I know it's risky, but… Bobby, he's getting worse, and that damn fast. And I'm so not loosing him to that thing." Sam's voice grew louder, desperation evident in his words.

Dean's stomach clenched painfully. Fuck, he had to do something. Sammy shouldn't sound like that!

Another pause, than: "Yeah, and thanks, Bobby. I'm glad you're coming."

Dean heard Sam sigh heavily, than the clicking of the laptop keys.

Oh hell, this sucks! He hated it to be weak and in the center of all attention, especially when it was his little brother he would worry and scare. Well, okay, attention was great when it was caused by some hot chicks, but apparently this was not the case.

_C'mon, suck it up, Winchester! It's not that bad and you had worse!_, he tried to convince himself.

A violent shiver ran through his body and sent a new stabbing pain up and down his arm and right into his head.

_Oh please, somebody shoot me now_. He tried to suppress a groan, but succeeded only partly.

After the fist wave of pain slowly vanished into the dull throbbing, which he got nearly used to, he buried deeper into the covers, though they didn't spend any real warmth.

"Dean?" Sam's voice was close to his left ear.

"Hey, you awake?" The cloth disappeared and was replaced by Sam's cool hand.

Dean turned his head slightly towards Sam, convincing himself that he _did not _lean into the touch.

To open his eyes was easier said than done. His lids seemed to weight tons, but eventually he saw his brother's blurry face in front of him.

"You look like shit, ya know that, right?" Dean stated groggily and tried to grin lightly.

Sam's hair was unkempt and dark circles lay under his eyes. Concern blossomed inside his chest.

Sam half snorted, half laughed. "Yeah, right back at you. You've looked into a mirror lately?"

"'m still the better looking one of us. An' chicks dig at this whole 'taking-care-of-some-hot-lookin'-an'-wounded-guy'-thing."

Sam just rolled his eyes and laughed. But it was a real laugh and Dean felt himself relax a bit.

"Yeah, right. If that lets you sleep better at night." He pulled his hand back from Dean's forehead.

Something inside Dean wanted to protest, to lean into the touch a little longer…

He mentally shook himself. Okay, so maybe he _was_ a little delirious.

_______

Sam eyed his brother worried. Dean looked like seven shades of shit. Face white as the sheets, except for the fever flushing his cheeks and the nearly purple circles under his eyes.

He still wasn't close to a solution how to help his brother. Bobby was right about the fact that there wasn't much information about Lamias and Sam didn't know what to do. Killing this bitch was his favourite option so far, though they didn't know if this would help Dean at all. But it certainly would help Sam feeling better.

"How long was I out?" Dean's faint voice pulled Sam out of his thoughts.

"Nearly two and a half hours. How're you feeling?" He grabbed the water glass and the box of Tylenol and Antibiotics from the nightstand.

"'m fine." Dean tried to clear his bleary vision. Sam gave him a long look and finally Dean sighed softly.

"Okay, I felt better, but still, I had worse."

_I doubt that_, Sam thought, but left it unsaid.

"Bobby's on his way. Think we can use some extra help." The younger Winchester smiled lightly.

"Yeah, think 's a good idea." Dean muttered and blinked wearily. Crap! Hadn't he slept enough already?

"You need to drink some more water and take these." Sam helped Dean into a more or less upright position. The older Winchester leaned heavily against the headboard, trembling with fever.

"It's still cold in here." Dean complained softly after swallowing the pills.

"It's not cold in here. It's just because of the fever. Your temp's up but steady to 103.5." Concern was obvious inside Sam's words.

"Wow, told ya, 'm a hot guy." Dean joked weakly.

"Dean." Sam said with a warning tone. _Not funny!_

Dean sobered. "You found anything?"

"Yes, actually Bobby has. We know what we're dealing with. It's a Lamia."

The older Winchester just blinked quizzically at him.

"Ancient Greek. This thing's old and supposed to be extinct." Sam added.

"Great. Lucky me.", he muttered, eyes at half-mast. "And, will I live, doc?" Dean saw the flicker of guilt and fear in Sam's eyes. Shit!

"Sammy, don' worry. We'll find something. 'S gonna be 'kay. Maybe this shit vanishes on its own.", he reasoned and blinked slowly. Damn, he had to get a grip!

"Yeah, maybe." Sam didn't sound convinced and he knew Dean didn't believe it, too. It would just be too easy. And Winchester Luck never took the easy way.

Dean's eyes stayed shut longer and longer.

"Dean, it's okay, go back to sleep. I'll take care of the rest." Sam reassuringly squeezed his hand. Chick-flick be damned, but right now he needed some physical contact.

Dean blinked again stubbornly. "'m not tired. Can help… with the research.", he mumbled sleepy.

Sam had to smile at this.

"Later, for now just rest. Can't let you drool all over the keys." He squeezed Dean's hand again before re-wetting the washcloth and placing it back on his forehead.

Dean grumbled something that sounded close to 'bite me'. His eyes blinked shut one last time and then stayed that way.

Just when Sam thought his brother was back to sleep Dean's voice startled him.

"S'mmy? Please don' leave." Dean mumbled. Eyes closed and almost lost in fever induced dreams again.

Sam swallowed hard. It scared him to see his big brother so defenseless. It just wasn't right.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here."

Dean exhaled softly and nestled deeper into the covers.

Sam sat like this a few more minutes, watching his brother sleep. Eventually he stood up and walked over to the window.

It was nearly 6am and dawn had broken. The early morning sky was dark and thick with heavy, grey rain clouds. Pouring rain had set in an hour ago.

Sam leaned his forehead against the cool glass and stared out into the rainy twilight.

Shitshitshitshitshit! He hated this feeling of total helplessness. And the worst of all things was to see his big brother in this condition. Dean was getting weaker. The poison was taking its toll on him and Sam didn't even want to think about what else could happen. But thank god, Bobby was coming. With his brother down for the count Sam really appreciated the help. It was childish, but one part of Sam still counted on Dean, his big brother, to make everything better.

And he was sure that, if the roles were changed, Dean would find something to help him. Though now it was his turn to take care of him.

Sam closed his eyes for a moment. Even if they could figure out how to get rid of the poison, there was still this fucking deal. One year. Only one year to figure out how to save his brother from hell – literally.

_Okay, stop it! Damn it! One problem at a time! So, focus! _

A theory was forming inside his head. He was fairly sure that Dean wasn't the only one who sickened by this poison. So what if all the other victims had experienced similar effects?

He wasn't sure if and how this would help, but at least it was a start.

Sam glanced at his watch - 6:08am. Far too early for some interviews and moreover he wouldn't leave Dean here alone.

Maybe two or three more hours and Bobby would be here. Then they could plan their next steps.

Sam turned away from the window and rubbed over his burning eyes. Crap, he was tired. Though there was no sleep in sight for him. He had to research some more. There _had_ to be something about this damn thing.

Armed with a cup of black coffee and his laptop, Sam settled back on the floor next to Dean's bed, back resting against the nightstand. He needed the closeness right now.

Dean was still out like a light, but moving restlessly from time to time.

Sam dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, wished the damn weariness would go away.

Sighing he connected the laptop with the internet and started his research again.

_______

He woke to the sound of dry heaving. Confused he looked around to comprehend what was happening.

Grey daylight seeped into the room. Rain still pounded against the windows.

Swearing, Sam tried to ease the cramping muscles inside his back and neck.

Once again he heard the sound of dry heaving.

The knot in his stomach tightened, as he realized that the bed next to him was empty. _What the…?_

Within the blink of an eye Sam was up on his feet, heart pounding painfully inside his chest.

"Dean?" His eyes searched the room, until they landed on the huddled figure on the floor on the other side of the bed.

"Dean!" Sam hurried to his brother and crouched beside him. Dean was on all fours and still heaving, though there was nothing left inside his stomach.

"Hey, it's okay." Sam soothed, rubbing circles over Dean's damp back.

The older Winchester groaned miserable. "Fuck, just shoot me." Another wave of nausea washed over him and he gagged again.

Sam steadied his brother's trembling body before he could fully face plant. He cringed at the amount of heat that radiated off of Dean.

Eventually the heaving subsided and Dean slumped back against his little brother. The room spun sickly around him and almost threatened his queasy stomach to flip-flop again. He closed his eyes in the hope that it would stop the dizziness.

Sam's voice sounded far away. He felt a light pressure on his arm.

"Come on, dude, help me out here. Don't think the floor is that comfortable."

"'m good here." Dean mumbled sleepy.

"Maybe. But I'm not letting you sleep here. So come on. The faster we get you back to bed, the faster you can go back to dreamland."

Sam hauled his brother back to his feet, though Dean would have went down again if it wasn't for Sam's grip on him.

Dean grumbled softly.

"Hey, stop bitching." Sam panted slightly as he dragged Dean back to bed. "What were you doing on the floor anyways?" he asked while pulling the blanket back over his brother.

The older Winchester avoided to look into Sam's eyes. "Thought I would make it to the bathroom before …" he muttered in a low voice, which sounded close to embarrassment.

"Next time just say something. You don't know who else had puked on this carpet." Sam joked lightly and brushed some sweat soaked strands away form Dean's too warm forehead.

The absence of his brother's bitching or snapping at him for invading his personal space was enough to tell Sam that Dean really must be feeling like shit.

"You were asleep. Don' wanted 't wake ya." Dean slurred with closed eyes, nearly asleep again. "Dad said _watch out for Sammy_, and that I do." The words were barely audible but Sam didn't miss them.

A sad smile appeared on his face. There it was – even burning up with fever and on the edge to passing out, Dean still tried to take care of him.

Hell, his brother was always there, the only constant in his life. He'd even take a trip downstairs to save his life.

_No, he won't! I'll find a way out of this fucking deal!  
_But first things first – the fucking Lamia. Now it was his turn to save Dean's ass for a change.

When he was sure his big brother was lost in his feverish dreams again, Sam stood up and shuffled slowly into the bathroom.

He splashed cold water onto his face, hoping it would help against the damn weariness.

A look at his watch showed that he must have slept at least for an hour.

"Crap, Bobby, hurry, will ya?", he muttered and looked at his reflection in the mirror.

________

It was nearly noon when Bobby eventually arrived.

The day hadn't looked up so far and it was still raining cats and dogs out there.

Sam was at his fifth cup of coffee when the older hunter knocked.

"Shit, what kind of weather is that? You wouldn't even send a dog out there." Bobby swore under his breath and stormed into the dry safety of the motel room.

"Kid, you look like you had a hell of a night.", he stated dryly and eyed the younger Winchester closely.

"Yeah, well, let's just say, if we find something soon, I'll sleep a whole lot better." Sam ran a hand through his unruly hair and sighed.

"How is he?" Bobby glanced past Sam's shoulder over to the bed nearest the door. He kept his voice low so he wouldn't wake Dean.

"In and out, but mostly out." Sam followed Bobby who had come to a halt next to the bed.

Damn, the boy looked awful. He knew Sam wasn't much the exaggerating one, well, at least not since he was out of his early teenager years, but he hadn't expected that this poison worked that fast. It wasn't even a day ago since Dean got bitten.

His breathing was shallow and slightly uneven because of the shivers which were still running through his body. Painlines still evident in his pale face.

Bobby placed a calloused hand on Dean's brow.

"Crap.", he hissed softly. This can't be good.

Dean stirred under the touch.

"S'm?"

"Not quite. Hell, boy, you can't do anything the easy way, hu?" Bobby fought to keep his voice light but couldn't fully suppress the slight angry note in it. He, like Sam, had searched for a solution out of the deal over the past weeks.

He knew Dean, knew his way to act like there was nothing wrong and no hellfire would await him at the end of his year. But still sometimes Dean's newfound recklessness annoyed him.

"Bobby?" Dean turned his head away from the hand and blinked tiredly, tried to summon some strength so he wouldn't give away how truly miserably he felt.

"Your bedside manners suck.", he stated groggily. His glassy eyes searched the room until they eventually settled on Sam, who sat down next to him on the edge of the bed.

"I remind you the next time you start bitching about me fussing." Sam grinned but couldn't quite hide the concern in his eyes.

"Whatever." Dean mumbled and tried to sit up.

"Woah, what you doing?" Sam stopped Dean's movements and pushed him back down. He tried to ignore the spiking concern about how easy this was.

"Helping you an' Bobby." Dean replied panting. "'m sick an' tired of lying around here." He batted Sam's hand away and tried to sit up again.

It was Bobby's hand that held him back this time.

"Try to open your eyes more than just half-mast and you would be more convincing." The older hunter gave Dean's shoulder a slight clap.

"Dean, you're sick. Just relax, okay. We'll figure something out." Sam really hoped that they would come up with something pretty soon.

But the older Winchester still stubbornly battled to keep his eyes open.

"Stop fussing, both of you. 'm fine." Okay, he knew they wouldn't believe him anytime soon. But this whole mother-hen-crap was annoying.

Though despite his stubborn efforts, his body seemed to have other plans. His eyes blinked close on their own accord. He forced them open again, but they would stay shut longer and longer.

Bobby chuckled softly. "Yeah, well, you're making it not that easy to not fuss about you right now."

Dean grumbled something inaudible but his eyes blinked shut again and finally stayed that way.

Sam glanced at Bobby, whose face had become tight with worry, before re-wetting the cloth for what felt the hundredth time in the last twenty-four hours.

_______

Sam sighed heavily and sank down on the chair opposite Bobby's.

Hands rubbing roughly over tired eyes.

"So, what now?" Sam sounded exhausted. His voice low to not wake Dean.

"He came through the night so far, so I think that's a good sign." Bobby eyed the younger hunter closely. The poor kid was on the edge of falling asleep on his feet.

"You think? Bobby, it's getting worse and we still have no fucking clue what to do!" His voice grew louder with every passing word.

"Would you please yell a little louder so that everyone in this damn motel can hear you?" Bobby snapped gruffly.

Sam breathed deeply to calm his inner turmoil.

"Sorry.", he muttered apologizing and rubbed over his eyes once more so he could avoid Bobby's gaze.

"It's okay.", the older hunter said, his face softened. "We get this bitch, and I swear, after I'm finished with it, Lamias _are_ extinct!"

"Yeah." Sam agreed but still didn't sound all that convinced. He was quiet for a few heartbeats. When he spoke again he sounded tired but also determined.

"Okay, so where do we start?"

Bobby rubbed a hand thoughtfully over his forehead. "We still have a ton of research to go through. The last thing I've read was a report by some doctor from 1900. It said something about a man who was bitten by something. Well, he insisted that it was a woman with snake teeth who had done that to him. It didn't take long and he stated that he could hear said woman call him, though she wasn't around."  
Sam's eyes grew wide. "And?"

Bobby sighed. "Nothing. They put him into a nuthouse. Somehow he managed to escape and around two weeks later they found his body. Well, at least what was left of it."

Sam slumped back into his chair. "Shit."

Bobby nodded in agreement. "You can say that again."

"But there has to be something somewhere! I mean these things are almost extinct, you said it yourself. So there has to be a way to kill it. They must have some kind of weak spot."

"Normal bullets won't work, but maybe silver will do some damage. They're partly wereanimals too." Bobby thought loudly.

"At the very least we can give it a try." Sam played absently with his empty coffee mug. "The other thing is that I'm pretty sure, every victim got sick."

"What let you think that?" Bobby got up to renew their coffee supply.

"It's just a theory, but I think that this is its way of hunting. The police report said, that each vic escaped after the first attack. Everything seemed okay, after that and than – wham, they're dead. Something must have happened in the meantime. I think the poison made them weak and willing to follow her call."

"And literally went into their own death." Bobby added.

"Yeah, something like that." Sam sipped the hot liquid greedily.

"So it would be a good idea to interview the vic's families." Bobby suggested.

Sam nodded and searched through the stack of papers until he handed Bobby a list of names.

"We had barely time to do some research at all, before all this here happened. Maybe we can work out a pattern – how the poison works, and how long it takes until her call gets too pronounced." Once again Sam rubbed over his burning eyes. God was he tired!

"Okay, I'm on it." Bobby studied the paper thoughtfully. The sixty-four thousand dollar question still was, if this damn poison was fatal or not and if there was some kind of antidote for it.

"You wanna go?" It was more a statement than a question.

Bobby gave him a funny look. "Who else? The second me? One of us has to stay with Dean and I suggest that would be you."

"Yeah, okay. I can do more research while you're out. I maybe can locate its hunting ground." Sam stifled a yawn.

Bobby eyed the younger Winchester for a moment, a fatherly look appeared in his eyes.

"Sam, you're dead on your feet. Did you get some sleep at all last night?"

"Grabbed some minutes here and there." He said but avoided to look at Bobby. Actually it was a good question – when was the last time he got some real good-night sleep? He used almost every minute that wasn't filled with hunting to search a way for Dean out of the deal.

Bobby nodded knowingly. "You should try and get some shut-eye. There's enough research for the both of us. And after you're done with your beauty sleep I'm heading out and talk to the families."

"I'm okay. And there's no time to waste." Sam suppressed a new yawn.

Bobby only raised an eyebrow. "Sure you are. And how do you think you can help your brother when this bitch got the better of you while you're half asleep on a hunt?"

He knew it was a low blow.

"Bobby, it's okay. And we really have no time for that." Sam tried to reason. Hell, he was longing for sleep but it had to wait.

Bobby didn't answer but gave him _the_ look. The one that would make Sam feel like a child again what had done something wrong.

"Bobby…"

"Don't even try it, kid. Lay down before you _fall_ down. I'll wake you in a bit and then we plan our next steps." His words didn't leave room for arguing.

Sam closed his eyes for a brief moment and let out a long sigh. "Okay, fine. But only for two hours, then…"

Dean's voice interrupted Sam though the words weren't directed at him or Bobby.

"Damn, why won't you jus' shuddup, bitch?"

"Dean?" Sam's and Bobby's head shot up.

Dean's eyes were open, though the gaze was unfocused and distant. Eyes fixed on something only he could see.

The two hunters exchanged a quick look then they made their way over to Dean.

"Dean?" Sam asked again.

It took some time but eventually Dean looked at him.

"Hey, what's up? Who should shut up, hu?" Sam's tone was calm and even but the knot inside his gut clenched painfully.

"Sammy, make her shuddup." The words were a weak slur.

Sam sat down next to his brother. "Who, Dean?" A bad feeling crept up his stomach.

"Please make her shuddup." It was dangerously close to a pleading. "She's callin' me. Over an' over."

Sam glanced at Bobby whose concerned gaze was trained on Dean.

"Dean, don't listen to her. We'll figure something out. It's gonna be okay." Sam placed the back of his hand against Dean's forehead. A worried frown appeared on his face.

"Damn, I think your fever's going up again."

Dean didn't seem to hear his brother, his gaze distant and far away.

"Dean." Sam shook him slightly.

The older Winchester blinked wearily and groaned softly as the movement startled his injured arm.

"Hey, you with me?" Sam had a hard time to keep his voice calm and even.

"Can't shut her out. She's so loud." Dean's lids slid close on their own will but he refused to let them. He reached out for Sam's wrist. The grip weak but still surprisingly tight.

"Don' go, 'kay?"

"I won't, you know that. Hang on, okay!?" Sam squeezed his arm in a reassuring manner.

Dean's eyes finally stayed shut and his grip around his brother's wrist became limp.

Sam swallowed hard past the lump inside his throat. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"We find something, so don't worry. Get some sleep while I'll do some more research."

"Bobby, we have to…"

"Boy, this isn't a suggestion. I don't think we need the families to get a pattern how this crap works. And if you wanna protect your brother you sure as hell should get some strength back. And that includes getting some sleep." The older hunter said firm. His gaze flickered over to Dean's injured arm.

A light wave of nausea washed over him. The dark red, near purple streaks had almost reached his shoulder, hidden under the fabric of theT-shirt. New streaks also started to creep down to his wrist. The wound was still seeping and there was a growing wet spot on the dressing.

Sam pinched the bridge of his nose with thumb and forefinger.

"You're worse than Dean.", he muttered under his breath while getting up and over to the other bed.

"What was that?" Bobby asked but couldn't quite hide his smirk.

"Two hours, Bobby. And wake me, if something…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Now sleep." Bobby interrupted him.

It didn't take long until exhaustion and sleep deprivation got the better of him and he fell asleep.

________

It felt like he had barely slept at all when Bobby woke him again.

Sam sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"You found something?" He looked up at Bobby, vision still blurry with sleep.

"Not really. I think this poison works slowly comparing to others. Maybe we can find some herbs or a spell or something like this."

Not really what Sam wanted to hear but still better than nothing.

"Any change?" Sam looked over to Dean who was buried deeply underneath the blanket but still shivered lightly.

The older hunter just shook his head. "Temp's up to 103.8. I think her hold on him gets stronger. If you're ready, I wanna go, talk to the families."

Sam rubbed one last time over his eyes, before standing up and stretching.

"No, it's okay. Maybe…" He stopped midsentence and strained his ears. "You heard that?" Adrenalin started to course through his system.

"Hear what?" Bobby asked, senses already on high-alert.

There it was again – a scratching noise just outside their door.

Bobby's brow furrowed. It took him two long strides to reach the window and peek out of it into the empty parking lot.

It was still raining and the afternoon light was grey and dim.

Nothing seemed to be wrong out there. But that normally didn't mean much.

Sam already stood at the door, gun in his hand, waiting for Bobby to say something.

"Silver bullets?" The older hunter asked and grabbed his own gun.

Sam nodded and carefully opened the door.

They stepped out into the nearly empty parking area.

Bobby scanned the parked cars closely but nothing seemed to be out there.

Rain seeped through the fabric of Sam's shirt. The cold sensation sent a shudder up and down his back.

"Damn, we're getting paranoid here." Bobby still searched the surrounding with his eyes. Gun safely out of sight but still close enough to reach for it easily.

Sam sighed mentally, relieved not to find the Lamia out here, waiting and ready to attack them.

"Well, better safe than sorry." He muttered and tucked the gun back into the waistband of his jeans, eyes still roaming over the parking area.

"Right. C'mon, let's get back inside before we're completely drenched." Bobby turned around only to stop abruptly.

"Dean?" He sounded surprised.

Sam also turned towards the door and glanced at his brother who was leaning heavily and shivering against the doorframe.

Sam felt like he just had a déjà vu, the sight the same as a few hours ago.

"Dean, what're you doing out here?"

"Hey, don' think I let the three of you go on this hunt alone." Dean looked serious but the teeth chattering betrayed his determination.

Bobby and Sam exchanged a glance before focusing back on Dean.

"The three of us?" Bobby asked carefully.

"Dean?" Sam frowned worriedly.

Dean eyed both hunters with a funny expression.

"Dad. Where's he anyways?"

It was then that Sam noticed the glassy and unfocused eyes and the beads of sweat running down Dean's brow and temples. He didn't know what to say, but luckily Bobby saved him from that.

"Your daddy drove into town to get some things for the hunt."

Dean seemed satisfied with the answer but still remained in his position against the doorframe.

"Why don't you go back to bed? You're still sick and dad won't be back within the next hour." Sam sounded calm. He tried to ignore the fear and panic that blossomed inside his chest.

"Don' worry, Sammy. 'S just a little bug, that's all. 'm fine." The words breathy and without much strength.

It was a lie because Sam could see Dean sway on his feet like a leaf in the wind.

He caught Dean in time just before his knees fully gave out under him and he could face plant on the asphalt. The heat that radiated off of him set Sam's alarm bells on inside his head.

"Shit, Bobby, help me get him back inside."

Together they dragged the unconscious Winchester back into the room and to the bed closest the door.

Dean didn't even stir once.

"Damn, the kid's hot." Booby drew back his hand from Dean's neck, not liking the fast pulse under his fingertips.

Sam grabbed the thermometer form the nightstand. His stomach clenched painfully. His fear was confirmed only seconds later when the beep startled him.

"Fuck, Bobby, 104.2." He knew his panic was obvious but he didn't care. This was dangerously high.

"What now? Hospital?"

"Not if we can avoid that. They would find the poison in his system and I don't think they'll come up with something usefully but a whole lot of nasty questions."

Sam didn't like it, but Bobby was right.

"Then what?" His gaze flickered back and forth between Bobby and Dean's unresponsive and shivering form.

"Cold bath." The older hunter said eventually.

Sam cringed at this thought but nodded finally.

The older hunter disappeared inside the bathroom and a few seconds later Sam heard the sound of running water.

"Sorry." Sam mumbled while pulling off the damp T-shirt, leaving Dean only in his boxers.

Bobby emerged the bathroom a few moments later, worry written all over his face.

"Tub is ready. Do you need help?"

Sam thought about this for a moment, but then just shook his head.

"No, it's okay."

"Holler if you need me."

Sam nodded, before he hoisted Dean up in his arms.

________

Dean's back arched and he shivered violently. Sam tightened his grip around Dean's shoulders even more. Tried to keep his brother from struggling too much.

"Dean, calm down. I know this sucks, but we have to bring your fever down!" Sam said gently, though the desperate note was still evident in it.

Oblivious to Sam's words Dean still fought to break free from his brother's arms. His hands scrambled over the rim of the tub, trying to free himself from this hell.

"mmmnooooo. Hurts. 'lemme g-go. 's too c-cold." glassy eyes darted sightlessly through the room. His feverish mind couldn't comprehend what was going on.

"I know it hurts, but it'll be over soon, I promise. You have to trust me." The lump in Sam's throat made breathing difficult. Briefly he wondered where Bobby had gone, but his brother's weak struggle forced his attention back to the here and now. Dean still battled weakly against Sam's tight grip which held him in place inside the lukewarm water.

"No.", he gasped His voice breathy and unsteady because of the shivers which still wracked his body.

"H-hurts. Sam. _Sammy_!!" Dean nearly screamed and started trashing again.

He was calling him - calling him for help. Sam swallowed hard. God, couldn't this whole fucking thing be over now? No friggin' Lamia, no friggin' deal - only normality. Well, at least as normal, as it could be for a Winchester.

"Dean, I'm here. Calm down! It's gonna be okay." Sam forced his voice to sound gentle and even. He tightened his grip a bit more. Spiky hair brushed his neck. He felt the threatening sting behind his eyes. No way that he would start crying now! No way in hell!

Dean's struggle became weaker.

"Sammy, p-please make it s-stop." he whispered broken. Violent shivers ran through his whole body. Eventually all fight left him and he relaxed against the wall of the tub and into his brother's arms.

It took Sam a few seconds to realize Dean was unconscious again.

"It's gonna be okay.", he said softly and closed his eyes for a brief moment, his forehead leaning against the back of Dean's head. His heart still pounded too fast and too painful inside his chest.

________

Ten agonizing long minutes later Sam heaved a still unconscious Dean back out of the tub. His temp was back down to 102 again. Not quite what Sam wanted to see, but still better than before.

When he had finally settled Dean back to bed he saw Bobby flipping his phone shut and walking over to him.

"Fever's down a bit." Sam informed him while peeling the soaked bandage away from Dean's arm. The knot inside his stomach tightened again, when he saw the two bright red and puffy bite marks. Puss still sluggishly oozed out of them.

Without a word Bobby handed him the things he would need to clean the wound.

"Good. I've called a few friends of mine – hunters. They'll keep eyes and ears open for information about this Lamia."

"Do you think they'll find something?" Sam didn't look up form his work but Bobby knew without seeing that there was desperation inside the kid's eyes.

"I hope so. Sam, the interviews…", he began slowly.

"It's okay – go. We're gonna be okay here. And we need the info." Sam finally glanced at Bobby. It was obvious that he didn't want to leave. A faint grin twitched around Sam's lips.

"Okay, but call me, if anything changes."

"I will. And please be careful."

"Your brother was right about you and the mother-henning." Bobby grinned while taking the papers with the names and the car keys.

"Bite me." Sam's own grin was tight.

Bobby threw a last look over his shoulder, then the door closed behind him.

______

Half an hour later Sam was back on his laptop, lost in his research while growing frustrated with every useless link he found. And apparently the web was full of it.

He ran a hand through his unkempt hair, sighing heavily.

He was wondering if Bobby had more luck interviewing the vic's families.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement. Dean was slowly sitting up in bed.

"Dean, hey." Sam got up from his chair.

But Dean seemed to ignore him totally. Slowly he stood up from the bed and turned towards the door.

Fear spiked again inside Sam. God, please not again.

"What the hell – Dean!" Sam stepped in front of his brother. "What're you doing?"

Ever so slowly Dean focused his eyes on Sam. The look in them distant and glassy.

The younger Winchester winced in sympathy as he saw the blood sluggishly dripping out of Dean's nose.

"Get outta my way, Sam." The voice emotionless.

"What – what the hell are you trying to do?" A bad feeling crept up inside Sam's gut.

"'m going to her." Dean tried to push past his brother but Sam held him back.

"You what? C'mon man, you can't be serious. This is a trap, you know that."

Dean still fought to get to the door.

"Sam, I dare you, lemme go!" The warning note inside his words was clear.

"Dean, damnit, snap out of it!" Sam shook his brother slightly.

He neither expected Dean's fist that collided with his face nor the surprising force that was behind the blow.

He stumbled a few steps back, stars dancing in front of his eyes. He could taste copper inside his mouth.

Okay, this was so not good! How could Dean be that strong so suddenly?

Before he even could recover from the first punch, Dean was over him again.

"I warned you not to interfere. She's calling me, saying I should come to her."

"Dean…" Sam pressed out. He blinked furiously to clear his blurry vision.

With a force Dean shouldn't have right now he banged Sam's forehead against the wall next to the door.

Sam sagged limply to the floor, blood ran freely from a cut over his right brow.

Without a second look Dean overstepped his brother's unconscious form and got out of the door and into the pounding rain.

TBC....

Like it? Don't like it? Please let me know! (puppy dog eyes)


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